Hello experts,

I am very confused about how to file my taxes, this is my case:
- Mexican citizen
- I came to US on July 1st 2010 on TN Visa
- Worked and paid taxes until June 2010 in Mexico
- Got married on October 2010

My wife:
- Mexican citizen
- She stayed in Mexico for 2010
- She worked and paid taxes in Mexico

How should we file our taxes? Can we file them jointly as married?

Thanks for your advice!

You have completed 184 days in 2010. So you can file:
Choice 1: Dual status tax return, or
Choice 2: Joint return as resident. On joint return both of you must report worldwide income. Attach W-7 (ITIN application for your spouse) with your tax return. Your U.S. Tax Return: U.S. Citizen or Resident with Foreign Income (http://taxipay.blogspot.com/2008/03/us-citizen-or-resident-with-foreign.html)

Thanks for your answer, we would like to choose option 2, if we do it, does the combined ($11, 400) standard deduction for married filing jointly apply for us?

-Can we claim the foreign earned income exclusion for both of us? If so, form 2555 requests for a SSN, how to fill this field if my wife will get an ITIN instead of a SSN.

Yes you will get standard deduction of $11,400.
On From 2555 for your spouse, keep space for SSN blank.
You can not efile the return. Mail paper return. Attach a first year choice statement. For more on the statement read page 9 (Statement required to Make First Year Choice) of Publication 519: Tax For Aliens.

Thank you very much for your answers. It is clear now.